The View Whines Trump ‘Exploiting’ Assassination Attempt for Agenda

On Tuesday’s episode, alongside executive producer Brian Teta, faux conservative co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin bemoaned about how Trump and others on the right were holding up the attack as a reason to back the construction of the White House Ballroom. According to her, the argument that it helped keep the president safe was invalid because it wouldn’t be able to protect him at all points in time seeing as he did need to leave the building on occasion: FARAH GRIFFIN: But on the flip side, as I mentioned on the show, using this to justify the ballroom is absurd. On its face, It falls apart. I would ask any serious person to look me in the eye and say that will eliminate the threat risk against the president. It just simply won't unless he's going to hunker down and just not leave the however-many acres the White House is. That would mean that all future - rather than going to campaign events all over the country ahead of the midterms, he'd have to do it at the White House; rather than going to the G7, he'd do it at the White House. Or even going to CPAC. TETA: Or even with the Kennedy Center, which the rebuilding right now. The President often goes to the Kennedy Center. FARAH GRIFFIN: Correct. He often does. He likes to go golfing. Like this is just - It's not to say that that's the answer to security threats is just a ridiculous reason. “If you want to make the argument, which I said on air that we just need a bigger room to host state dinners, and he would like it, then then say that with your full chest, but don't make it about the security risks,” she huffed. On The View's podcast, Alyssa Farah Griffin and executive producer Brian Teta scoff at the notion of building the White House ballroom to protect the president because it doesn't completely protect him at all times. They whine Trump is just exploiting the attempt to kill him. pic.twitter.com/xr3aGuhOTm — Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) May 1, 2026 Teta suggested that Trump and his supporters were partially to blame for why conspiracy theorists that the attack was a hoax (Click “expand”): TETA: There was a real - we talked about this a little bit - but there was a real right-wing kind of social media blitz that happened very quick - FARAH GRIFFIN: Bizarre. TETA: - minutes after this happened before the President even referenced the ballroom or right afterwards. Right-wing influencers in unison started posting tweets and I guess truths and other things, pushing Trump's ballroom. () TETA: Which has probably contributed to this idea that is everywhere on social media that this was staged, which you and I don't believe. FARAH GRIFFIN: Right. “I do think that was a part of it,” Farah Griffin agreed. “And then you add in just like perfect storm things of like Karoline Leavitt saying, you know, ‘shots will be fired.’ She's clearly talking about the President is going to have jokes, he's gonna take you know jabs at different people there. But for a super-online audience of people in this country, that is just like catnip for them to believe in conspiracies.” On Thursday’s episode, it was co-host Ana Navarro’s turn with Teta. According to Navarro, Trump was “exploiting” the attempt on his life to manipulate the grand jury who indicted Comey: NAVARRO: I think his - you know, I think he is vindictive and he likes to take retribution. And I think it is no coincidence that this Comey indictment came two days after the White House Correspondents Dinner association shooting attempt. So, they are exploiting and using the moment to go in front of a grand jury that, you know - is - is - is hyper sensitive two days after that shooting attempt. Shooting attempts against the president. TETA: Yeah, understandable. NAVARRO: You know, are milking it for everything it's worth. And we're seeing that that's happened, not just regarding Comey. On a later episode, Ana Navarro whines the attempt to kill Trump was being exploited for the ballroom and indict Comey. She also blames Trump for people thinking the assassination attempt was a hoax. pic.twitter.com/PIkQ6AQOzV — Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) May 1, 2026 She too blamed the White House for why crazies thought the attack was a “hoax” (Click “expand”): NAVARRO: I think that's why there are so many people out there. I have been - I'm telling you I have been shocked by the amount of people who are not conspiracy theorists, who never believe a conspiracy, smart people who immediately jump to the conclusion that this thing at the White House Correspondence Dinner association was a hoax. You were there. TETA: Yeah. NAVARRO: Nobody in that room thought it was a hoax. TETA: No. NAVARRO: You know, I have a lot of friends and people I love including you who were there who thought it was very serious. I certainly don't think it's a hoax, but you have to delve into and ask yourself why do so many people think it's a hoax? “[O]ne of the reasons is the way that Trump and his administration have reacted,” she exclaimed. “That they have used this moment to try to get their agenda through, and to try to get their pet projects, and to try to get revenge against those that they don't like, to try to silence opponents, to try to indict James Comey, and to try to get a ballroom!” Apparently, only Democrats were allowed to work on their agendas. The transcripts are below. Click expand to read: ABC’s Behind the Table April 28, 2026 4:51 () ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN: But on the flip side, as I mentioned on the show, using this to justify the ballroom is absurd. On its face, It falls apart. I would ask any serious person to look me in the eye and say that will eliminate the threat risk against the president. It just simply won't unless he's going to hunker down and just not leave the however-many acres the White House is. That would mean that all future - rather than going to campaign events all over the country ahead of the midterms, he'd have to do it at the White House; rather than going to the G7, he'd do it at the White House. Or even going to CPAC. BRIAN TETA: Or even with the Kennedy Center, which the rebuilding right now. The President often goes to the Kennedy Center. FARAH GRIFFIN: Correct. He often does. He likes to go golfing. Like this is just - It's not to say that that's the answer to security threats is just a ridiculous reason. If you want - if you want to make the argument, which I said on air that we just need a bigger room to host state dinners, and he would like it, then then say that with your full chest, but don't make it about the security risks. TETA: There was a real - we talked about this a little bit - but there was a real right-wing kind of social media blitz that happened very quick - FARAH GRIFFIN: Bizarre. TETA: - minutes after this happened before the President even referenced the ballroom or right afterwards. Right-wing influencers in unison started posting tweets and I guess truths and other things, pushing Trump's ballroom. Now, you and I have spoken a lot about this and we've - you've told me a little bit about how this all works on the right. I mean, I think there's versions of this on the left too, but the rights just better at it. FARAH GRIFFIN: Yeah, the right is in this era so much better at the social media sort of rapid response to things. And what it is is allies of the President have text message chains and they have email chains, and they blast out their orders to - I'm not talking hundreds, I'm talking thousands of influencers - to say, ‘hey, this is the line of messaging,’ and people respond to it. And because now you have a system of social media that's monetized, that's an added incentive. So, you see a lot of these influencers who make all their money basically on X posting things that are in line, like pro-administration that are gonna get amplified heavily for saying, you know, what the public line is. And it was really remarkable, because I was like, ‘that's, that's the response? It's not you know” - and people were wishing him well and grateful and talking about security failures. But it was so wild to just see how quickly everyone on the right was like, ‘well and now we need a ballroom.’ That is clearly the logical answer of this. TETA: Which has probably contributed to this idea that is everywhere on social media that this was staged, which you and I don't believe. FARAH GRIFFIN: Right. TETA: But even in the comments for the show yesterday I was saying like you know, ‘how do you guys believe it's real?’ It's really - and it's not just on the left, it's on the right too. FARAH GRIFFIN: One hundred percent. TETA: It’s fascinating to me. FARAH GRIFFIN: I do think that was a part of it. And then you add in just like perfect storm things of like Karoline Leavitt saying, you know, ‘shots will be fired.’ She's clearly talking about the President is going to have jokes, he's gonna take you know jabs at different people there. But for a super-online audience of people in this country, that is just like catnip for them to believe in conspiracies. And into folks who are - who are believing that and playing into like this was staged, whatever I would just remind them of a few facts. We do have more guns than people in this country. We have an epidemic of mental health crises in this country, where people are truly struggling and not getting treatment they need. And then, add to that we have social media - Sarah spoke about this on the show today. Social media algorithms that are meant to make us radicalize, meant to make us hate one another. You put all those things together, and honestly, thank God we're having as few of these events as possible. It is a perfect mix of a dangerous environment that's like a powder keg that these things are likely to happen. So when it feels like this just seems unbelievable that it could, unfortunately when you consider all those factors, it's really not unbelievable at all. () ABC’s Behind the Table April 30, 2026 6:07 () BRIAN TETA: So, Whoopi rang the distraction bell yesterday when talking about this [indictment of former FBI Director James Comey for “8647” post]. She thinks this is you know, yet another distraction. And it does seem unlikely - most legal experts seem to think this will get thrown out, but do you believe it's a distraction or do you think he's really trying to put these people into jail? ANA NAVARRO: Oh, I think he hates Comey. TETA: Yeah. NAVARRO: I think his - you know, I think he is vindictive and he likes to take retribution. And I think it is no coincidence that this Comey indictment came two days after the White House Correspondents Dinner association shooting attempt. So, they are exploiting and using the moment to go in front of a grand jury that, you know - is - is - is hyper sensitive two days after that shooting attempt. Shooting attempts against the president. TETA: Yeah, understandable. NAVARRO: You know, are milking it for everything it's worth. And we're seeing that that's happened, not just regarding Comey. And I think that's why, you know, I think that's why there are so many people out there. I have been - I'm telling you I have been shocked by the amount of people who are not conspiracy theorists, who never believe a conspiracy, smart people who immediately jump to the conclusion that this thing at the White House Correspondence Dinner association was a hoax. You were there. TETA: Yeah. NAVARRO: Nobody in that room thought it was a hoax. TETA: No. NAVARRO: You know, I have a lot of friends and people I love including you who were there who thought it was very serious. I certainly don't think it's a hoax, but you have to delve into and ask yourself why do so many people think it's a hoax? TETA: On both sides of the aisle, that's the fascinating thing. Yeah, I've seen Republicans say it too. It's so strange. NAVARRO: I think there's several reasons, you know, I mean, but certainly one of the reasons is the way that Trump and his administration have reacted. That they have used this moment to try to get their agenda through, and to try to get their pet projects, and to try to get revenge against those that they don't like, to try to silence opponents, to try to indict James Comey, and to try to get a ballroom! I mean, that's a hell of a reaction from a guy who's now had three failed assassination attempts. You think there would be a moment of reflection. You think there would be a call to unity. You think there would be a call to our better angels. No, let's build the ballroom. Let's silence our opponents and let's indict James Comey. () Nicholas Fondacaro Fri, 05/01/2026 - 15:58 Marketing Timing Regular Search Engine Title The View Whines Trump ‘Exploiting’ Assassination Attempt for Agenda CNS Commentary Off